Themes
Ideal Love vs Reality
In this poem, Shakespeare delves into the steadfast nature of genuine love amidst life's tumultuous changes. The speaker fervently argues that love, in its highest form, transcends earthly obstacles, remaining unwavering even in the face of adversity and change. Ideal love, as portrayed in the sonnet, is described as an "ever-fixed mark" that endures beyond the transient fluctuations of time and circumstance. It is depicted as a guiding star, providing stability and direction amid life's tempests. This idealized notion of love is immutable, unyielding to the passage of time or external influences.
However, the reality of love often diverges from this idealized depiction. In truth, love encounters trials and challenges that test its strength and endurance. While the sonnet presents love as steadfast and unwavering, reality may reveal moments of doubt, insecurity, and imperfection. Despite the dissonance between ideal love and reality, the sonnet maintains an aspirational tone, aspiring towards the ideal even as it acknowledges the inherent imperfections of human relationships. The poem underscores the enduring power of love to transcend the limitations of reality, offering solace and hope amidst life's uncertainties.
Time and Change
Throughout the poem, Shakespeare presents love as an unchanging force, steadfast against the passage of time and the alterations of circumstance. He argues that true love transcends the temporal nature of existence, remaining constant despite the inevitable changes that occur in life. Love is depicted as an "ever-fixed mark" that endures even in the face of adversity. While physical beauty may fade with time, true love remains unaffected by the "bending sickle" of Time, which cannot diminish its strength. Furthermore, Shakespeare suggests that love exists outside the constraints of time itself. Love is not subject to the whims of fleeting moments or temporary pleasures but endures until the very "edge of doom." This timeless quality of love contrasts with the transitory nature of human existence, emphasizing its eternal significance.
Death and Mortality
Sonnet 116 explores the enduring nature of love, contrasting it with the transient and integral aspects of human existence, including death and mortality. While the sonnet primarily focuses on the steadfastness of true love, it indirectly addresses the inevitability of mortality. The imagery of "Time" wielding a "bending sickle" suggests the relentless passage of time, which eventually leads to the physical decline of individuals. Despite the temporal nature of human life, love remains constant and unwavering, extending beyond the boundaries of inevitable mortality. The mention of "the edge of doom" implies the ultimate end or death, yet even in the face of such finality, love persists. The poem suggests that love transcends mortality by enduring beyond the confines of time. It asserts that love is not subject to the limitations of physical existence but instead exists as an eternal force. This perspective on love implies a defiance of mortality, as it suggests that true love can withstand even the most formidable adversary—death itself.
